Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Works For Me: The "Mom, I'm Bored" Edition

Oh, sweet friends, we are only on the fourth full day of summer, and I already find myself up to my knees in bugspray, sunscreen, chlorine and grass clippings. Summer has exploded into my house with a vengeance, and I couldn't be any happier about it.

As much as I love the break from the school-year rat race, though, you and I both know that all the home time occasionally presents a challenge. In particular, there's that word my kids use, the word that makes me cringe like crazy:

BORED.

"If you're bored, you're boring!" I shout back cheerfully. They just love that.

In today's themed edition, I'd love to hear from you alll about how you combat this issue in your home. Give us all your general outlook on the subject, or provide us with a list of specific modes of entertainment you use--whatever you'd like.

Around here, I've written before that we keep a list posted all summer. It's a list of every imaginable non-electronic diversion the kids and I can think of. We list out every toy, every board game, all imaginary play, EVERYthing, so that when the kids get twitchy I can point them to the list.

This year, I'm adding another list. *wicked laugh*

If the first list doesn't get them, then we go to Mom's List Of Things You Can Do To So You Won't Be Bored. They include things like folding towels, picking up your room, scrubbing the shower, washing the floor of the garage with a toothbrush, etc.

Oh, yes ma'am.

What are your best tips for helping the kids engaged and busy and happy over the summer? I can't wait to read your ideas. I may print them all out and wallpaper the kitchen with them.

I don't hear my son say "boring", though I can see that he through his actions he is. He's in his 18-months, so I suppose his way of saying he's bored is he's crying and looking for something new to do. :)

We don't do the bored boring thing though the kids have a list memorized and know better than to ask. Then again they are home with me 24/7 so in our house it isn't just summer that mom refuses to entertain them.:)

We don't do the bored boring thing though the kids have a list memorized and know better than to ask. Then again they are home with me 24/7 so in our house it isn't just summer that mom refuses to entertain them.:)

LOL. You're a funny woman. :) I like your list idea - both of them. We home school, so we already have to deal with being home all day. And we home school year round so our summer vacation is only a few weeks in August. Still we have frequent days off and we have to deal with boredom quite a bit. I was already thinking about making a list of activities that we want to get accomplished over the course of the summer. I think it's a great idea. :)

I have a toddler, so this topic isn't really for me, but I definitely remember summers growing up...if we so much as uttered the word "bored" in mom's presence, we were promptly handed a broom, dustcloth, scrub brush, etc. Cured us pretty quickly.

I don't have children yet... but my mother was never as kind as you. There was not fun list first. If you said you were bored, you were immediately given a chore (she used a card system so we generally got to choose our poison... oh the fights my sister and I would have over who got to water the plants!). Not surprisingly, we very rarely said that we were bored.

I don't have children yet... but my mother was never as kind as you. There was no fun list first. If you said you were bored, you were immediately given a chore (she used a card system so we generally got to choose our poison... oh the fights my sister and I would have over who got to water the plants!). Not surprisingly, we very rarely said that we were bored.

My Dad used to make us come up with our own lists of things to do. If all else failed he sent us out to weed. My son is too young to give me the "I'm bored!", but I'll be taking notes for future use, people!

I have no suggestions except, send them to the Grand Parents one at at a time. Two Grands leaves the harried Mom with only two with which to contend.
Now, granted, the spoilage factor should never be discussed. Grandparents are delighted to spoil the best children ever born and apologize profusely for for the spoilage - on a good day with lots of encouragement.
As Grandparents, we appreciate the fact that one of our offspring has actually fathered/mothered the most perfect children ever born!
GRANDS are so precious. They are the GRANDS!!!!!! Parents are the only ones who might feel some discomfort when we give them those final hugs and kisses and deliver them back to you.
Please remember that you are my child, your mother's child and GRANDS are the blessings of the union of you and your husband/wife.
As a former teacher, summer time allowed me time to play, away from school. Precious.wonderful time with my kids.
Young mothers, celebrate the time . Time is fleeting. Turn around and they are two, turn around they are four, turn around and they are parents, turn around and you are a Grandparent. Then you get to spoil the kids and send them back for the parents to correct the chaos you have corrected!
GRANDS RULE!!!!!

I have no suggestions except, send them to the Grand Parents one at at a time. Two Grands leaves the harried Mom with only two with which to contend.
Now, granted, the spoilage factor should never be discussed. Grandparents are delighted to spoil the best children ever born and apologize profusely for for the spoilage - on a good day with lots of encouragement. orrect
As Grandparents, we appreciate the fact that one of our offspring has actually fathered/mothered the most perfect children ever born!
GRANDS are so precious. They are the GRANDS!!!!!! Parents are the only ones who might feel some discomfort when we give them those final hugs and kisses and deliver them back to you.
Please remember that you are my child, your mother's child and GRANDS are the blessings of the union of you and your husband/wife.
As a former teacher, summer time allowed me time to play, away from school. Precious.wonderful time with my kids.
Young mothers, celebrate the time . Time is fleeting. Turn around and they are two, turn around they are four, turn around and they are parents, turn around and you are a Grandparent. Then you get to spoil the kids and send them back for the parents to correct the chaos you have created.
GRANDS RULE!!!!!